becoming babyREADY with Sam Leeson - All About Queer Family Planning & Creation

All of us know that when you’re creating a Queer family, there are many decisions that need to be made. 

Dan Emerson is my guest today and we will talk about the choices he and his husband, Steve, made when navigating their path to start their family. 

You will light up because you will hear the smile on Dan‘s face as we talk about their journey to becoming the dads of Andy.

You can see more of Dan’s parenthood pathway by checking him out on IG and Threads @danemers

My conversation today contains conversation about the role religion can play in the dynamics of a relationship, especially when it comes to creating a family. 

I have the distinct honour of introducing you to Mario and Monte and they may not be new to you. You may have seen them on their Instagram @marioandmonte. You may have seen them on the Ellen show (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-yoa7e7Qfo) in the Spring of 2021. You may also have seen them on the Hulu series, “We Live Here: The Midwest.”

Today we speak about using a traditional surrogate in the form of a friend who has given them the greatest gift they could ever have asked for, their daughter. 

Today's episode is a little bit different. Let me introduce you to Emmalie. Emmalie and Hansof co-writers who are working collaboratively to create a short film that depicts a lesbian couple hoping to start a family. 

At the moment, they are process of trying to get together resources to put this production together. Their hope is that this will become a feature film which highlights, in an entertaining fashion, at least one of the ways that Queer couples can create a family. 

So as I say, it's a little bit different, but I think you will enjoy it. You can learn more about the crowdfunding by visiting: https://igg.me/at/YouandMemakesThreeCrowdfunder/x/19173093#/

They are also on Instagram at: @youandmemakesthreefilm and Emmalie has an Instagram page at: @editor_emmalie 

There are many people in the 2SLGBTQIA+ community who think that Queer trans individuals have it “easy” when it comes to creating a family. After all, both parties have the potential to have the necessary reproductive organs to create and carry a child. What gets completely disregarded and ignored is the dysphoria and hormone dysregulation that can come with needing to alter the hormone treatments and therapies that have been part of someone's life for (potentially) many years.

Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to Jerome. Jerome is a kind and articulate man. He just loves being a parent you can find him him as @seahorsedaddy_22 on Instagram and  today he does a beautiful job of describing how his family came to be.

Today I’m excited to introduce you to Stevy and Michelle from Adelaide, Australia. We had a chance to talk about both of them navigating endometriosis, then egg retrieval, RIVF, searching for a donor, finding a clinic that makes you feel welcome and safe and so much more. 

In the background, you will hear a sweet little voice from their three month old as the conversation unfolds. 

I am excited to introduce you to Yanica and Leah Faustin, a “Multicultural Two Mom Family.” Our conversation went so many different places. One of the key elements we discussed was how, with an interracial family, you need to constantly advocate for your children while at the same time, important it is to teach children feel confident advocating for themselves.

We also talked about something that straight couples & many Canadian lesbian couples don’t need to take into consideration when creating a family; a non-birthing and/or non-biologic parent needing to actually ADOPT THEIR OWN CHILD! This is regardless (for many of our American peers) of what or who is on the birth certificate. 

You can see them together on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheFaustinFam? and on Instagram @thefaustinfam

Well, of course I’m going to launch this episode when it’s the week of “Stanton family day!”  You know that the story is going to be good when the snippet that you get to know about is that they legally adopted three of their children the same day that they legally got married because the laws changed to allow that to happen.

The conversation I have with Bryan and Kevin Stanton is one you don’t want to miss. We talk about adoption and Foster to adopt. We talk about some of the emotional upheaval of children coming through the foster care system. And we talk about what it means to be a family.

Check out Bryan’s “Teaching While Queer” podcast: https://www.teachingwhilequeer.org and see the podcast on Instagram @teachingwhilequeer Additionally you can find Bryan on IG @thebryanstanton 

Sometimes the only thing that you know for certain is that you want to become a parent. When you first start thinking about it, you aren't necessarily certain whether or not you want to be biologically related to the child or if just simply being someone's parent is enough.

Today I have the distinct honour of being able to introduce you to Graham and Shaun from Perfectly Muddled. After much soul-searching, they chose to adopt a child from the foster care system. They educated themselves in Canada and in the UK and are now gifting the world with books about family creation and exploration.

To learn more about their books and the work that they do, please visit: https://perfectlymuddled.com and you can find them on Instagram @perfectlymuddled 

Having a mixed race child is one decision that parents may make. Having a child with Irish parents born outside of Ireland is another. Having a mixed race child with an Irish parent who is ALSO is in a same-sex relationship is yet one more.

Today I have the opportunity to introduce you to Mark O'Looney-Cannon, one half of @twomenandasurrogacy. We have an in-depth conversation about all of these topics and more; not the least of which is the discriminatory legislation that all members of the Queer community (birthing children inside AND outside of Ireland) face when it comes to registering birth and parenthood as well as obtaining passports for their biological offspring.

Many people with a uterus dream of birthing a baby some day. Lauren took that dream to the next level when, as a child, she remembers having a literal dream wherein she felt the baby move.

Dreams were kind of a theme of the conversation I have today with one half of @thetwomom_browns, Lauren. Lauren is the parent who birthed their two children with the eggs of her wife. 

We talked about Reciprocal IVF, donor sperm, surrogacy (because Lauren wanted to do what she could to help two men by birthing a baby for their family too), parenting, living our destinies and so much more!! 

This amazing family can be found on Instagram as they document their journey through this world!